Plow.



C. T. RAY.

PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1918.

1,297,909. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

a vweulioz C. T. RAY.

PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1918.

1,297,909. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

C. T. RAY.

PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2.1918- 9 w M w n m 11 3 W m m n 1 m 3 1 J 0 w em 3 W M m D m 6K1. QM IIWI 1 R \w 0% m 2 9 mm O 9 7 w 9 1 w i Jr 1 1sra'r is PATENT curios- CHARLES T. RAYfOF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNORTO B. F. AVERY & SONS, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KENTUCKY.

PLOW.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

Original application filed September '3, '19 15,'Seria1 N 0. 48,813.Divided and this application filed January I 2,1918. Serial No. 209,996.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. RAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville, in the county of Je'flerson and State ofKentucky, have invented "certain new and useful Improvementsin Plows',of which the following is a specification;

This application is a division of my application for Letters Patentfiled September 3, 1915, Serial No. 48,813, for improvements in motorplows. It particularly relates to a plowing implement having yielda'blysupported furrow turning means and consists in the novel combinationsand correlations of elements substantially as hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the claims. v

One of the important purposes ofthis invention is to provide a plowingimplement having a frame and a supporting wheel with a plurality ofplowing mem'bers respectively arranged forward and rearward ofthe axisof said supporting wheel and which when in operative position withrelation 1 to the ground normally tend to support the frame but have ayieldable connection with the latter so that ifthe supporting wheelencounters a soft spot or depression relative movement in asubstantially vertical direction between the frame and plowing memberswill immediately occur, whereby the tractional effect of the wheel uponthe land will 'be maintained.

Another of the important purposes of the invention is to provide aplowing implement with a furrow turning member which may be adjustedwhen standing on unplowed land to work at any one of a plurality ofdifferent depths and when in working position will be yieldablysupported.

Other ends in view relate to the securing of the foregoing purposes bymeans which are of most simple, durable and practicable nature.

The foregoing purposes and ends, and other purposes, ends and advantageswhich will be apparent to those familiar with the present inventionandthe art to which it relates, are Secured from the constructionillustrated in the accompanying drawings and set forth in thefollowingdescription.

In the accompanying drawings, have exemplified the preferred embodimentbut it will be understood that changes in the Fig. 4 is a detailrepresentation of the actuating lever, segment, connecting rod andspring forming part of the means for adusting the forward furrow turn ngmember, viewed from theside opposite to that shown in Fig. 3: thisfigure also showing, 1

by the broken lines, a position the parts I may assume when the furrowforming member strikes an obstruction;

' Fig. 5 is a detail view of the crank which forms a member of the meansfor adjusting the forward furrow turning member, showing therein thetrunnioned bearing for the 7 connecting rod.

. The furrow formingmeans constituting the main portion of the presentinvention is illustrated as embodied in a motor plow which has been madethe subject of a parent application (Number 48,813) hereinbeforereferred to. It may, however, be otherwise employed, and it is not'mypurpose torestrict the scope of theprotection to the use of said meansas a part of a plow of any particular style or construction but to useand protect it in connection with, or as a part of, any styleor type ofplow, whether motor driven or not, with or as a part of which it iscapable of being practically emp y I i Hence it will be understood thatwhile I have illustrated and shall hereinafter describe the invention inconnection with a motor driven plow of somewhat particular construction,this is merely exemplary, and is not to be construed as restricting theinvention thereto, except as necessary within the spirit of therespective claims.

The main frame is provided with a straight side member .10 which extendsfrom the front to the rear end of the frame. Its other members may bevariously arranged to produce a frame which is wider at the rear than atthe front. The. frame herein ex emplified comprises a longitudinalmember 11 arranged at the side. opposite the mem-.

ber 10 and. extending substantiallyparallel p her front end of themember 10 as shown a; i The rear ends of the members 10 and 11 areconnected with each other oy a transverse member 12. let designates athird longitudinal member. This is arranged between the members 10 and11 and substantially parallel with the member 10.- Its rear end issuitably secured to the rear transverse mem- 12. These memberspreferably are formed of channel irons. The front ends of the members10, 13 and 14: are secured to a uniting member 15, which extendsforwardly and also upwardly therefrom. T his member is preferably astrong casting haw ing horizontal flanges 15, upon which theframemembers 10, 13 and 14: respectively rest, and vertical webs 15against which said members respectively lie, suitable means beingemployed to secure the contacting parts of the members together. Theuniting member 15 also supports the guiding and castering meanshereinafter particularly referred to, and for this purpose is providedat the front end with a sleeve 15 surmounted by a plate 15.

A designates a large supporting wheel of suitable construction, which isarranged be tween the members 10 and 14: and at or about thelongitudinal center of the implement. Immediately in advance of thiswheel A there is a forward furrow turning member B of any suitable kind,the one herein shown being an ordinary single moldboard plow, This formsa furrow on the bottom of which the wheel A runs. At one side of theframe there is arranged a suitable wheel 0 which travels upon theunplowed land and is suitably mounted to be vertically adjustable inaccord with the depth of the furrow in which the wheel A runs, any ofthe usual or suit-able means for such adjustment being employed.

At the front end of the implement there is a guide wheel D. This guidewheel is offset from the line of the forward furrow forming member andwheel A and traverses a furrow, made on the previous travel of theimplement by a rear furrow forming member E which is disposed at therear of the axis of the wheel A and is set in from the line of saidwheel and furrow forming member B.

The wheel A, preferably, as herein shown is a large one and receivesmotion from an engine of suitable type which is geared thereto and iscarried by the frame of the implement. The engine is illustrateddiagrammatically at F and is shown as being mounted on the bed plate 19supported by the members 11 and 14;. Zhe engine employed is preferablyof the gasolene type and in such case, a suitable radiator, clutch.

etc, not necessary herein more particularly menace Any suitable meansfor transmitting the power of the engine to the traction wheel may beemployed, one such being herein. exemplified. The means herein showncomprises a spur gear 20 which is suitably secured to the wheel A andhas its teeth engaged by a pinion 22 mounted on a transverse shaft 23which carries a gear 24 which meshes with a gear 25 mounted on theengine shaft 26, i

The points or cutting edges of the front and back furrow forming membersB and E are at the same level, and the lower surfaces of the guide wheelD and wheel A run upon the bottom of the furrows made by said members.As already stated, the wheel A traverses a furrow made in the sametravel of the implement by the furrow forming member immediately infront of it, while the guide wheel is'arranged in advance but to oneside of the line of the front furrow H forming member and traverses thefurrow made on the previous travel of they implement by the rear furrowsforming member, as cl arly shown in Figvl. A furrow wall is thuspresented against which tlieguide wheel may bear and which may be usedas a guide in the manual guidance of the implement. A further importantadvantage results from the use of furrow forming members and wheelsarranged in the lines herein set forth, as forces are thereby broughtinto operation which, overcome an objectionable extentof side draftwhich would tend to unnecessarily strongly press the guide wheel againstthe solid wall at one side of the furrow or the loose dirt at the otherside of the furrow, such as occurs when furrow forming member or membersarranged only at the front or only at the rear of the wheel A, areemployed. This unnecessary side draft introduces an unnecessary amountof friction for the motive power to overcome.

Moreover, the employment of furrow forming members arranged as hereinshown, 1,

bottom of the wheel A produces a furrow with a smooth even bottom byovercoming any tendency for the frame to tilt forward or back, whichtendency, unless corrected, would produce an uneven furrow; and thesesmooth even bottoms provide most desirable bases for the wheel and guidewheel A to traverse. When single moldboard furrow forming members, suchas herein eXemplifled, are employed. they are set out of line with eachother a distanceequal to the width of the furrow which each is to make,as shown in Fig. 2, thus giving sufficient side draft to hold the inneredge of the guide wheel against the solid wall of the previ'ouslyformedfurrow with strength sufficient for the purpose intended to besecured, but with no undue force, that is, with no force unnecessary inproper plowing. forward furrow forming member is arranged I so that itwill plow a strip one side of the wheel A.

The wheel D is connected with means whereby it may beguided bythe'operator on the seat 27 at the rear of the implement. This seat 27is'mounted on the upper end of a seat carrier 28, and is disposedsubstantially in line with the straight side mem ber 10. The guide wheelD and the for ward furrow forming member ,B are arranged adjacent to theline of said member 10. Hence, the operatorhas an unobstructed view ofsaid guide wheel and furrow forming member and is thereby enabled betterto guide the implement in a straight path. The wheel D is journaled inthe lower end of a yoke 30 which is provided with a vertical pivot 31mounted in the sleeve 15 at the front end of the casting 15. Themechanism by which this sleeve is turned by the operator need not beparticularly herein described as it forms no part of this invention andis fully set forth in the parent case hereinbefore referred to. It isoperated by a rearwardly extending rod 35 whose rear end is providedwith suitable means, as a handwheel 36, within convenient reach of theoperator on the seat 27.

When the implement is being guided manually short turns. at the ends ofthe rows, for example, may be made by releasing the guide wheel D, andlocking the land wheel C, the implement then turning as on a pivotaround the wheel C as an axis, the power being applied to the tractionwheel. It will be observed that the lower end of the yoke 30 is inclinedrearward, so that the center of the wheel D is out of line with thepivot 31, to facilitate the castering operation of the wheel. Thelocking of the land wheel C may be accomplished by any suitable brakingmeans operable from a point within convenient reach of the operator onthe seat 27. As the particular means for the purpose is not essential tothe invention 1 do not consider it to be necessary to enter into anydetailed explanation, but the mechanism herein described comprises,speaking generally, a transverse shaft 51 suspended in suitable bearingsprovided on the frame and having a down-turned cranked end 52 near theseat. The wheel C is provided with a drum 53, and suitable brake shoes,shown at 54, are arranged to engage the drum by The appropriate movementof the shaft 51, the shaft 51 being connected with the brake shoes bymeans which includes a rod 55 and suitable connections between the rodand the shoes.

The furrow forming members are independently adjustable relatively tothe frame of the implement by mechanisms, having operating. memberswithin convenient reach of the operator on the seat 27 and the adjustingmeans are such that each furrowforming member may be set to Work atdifferent depths and each adjusted to transport position, in a mostconvenient and easy way. Further, the adjusting means devised by me andshown in the accompanying drawings is of such nature that thefurrow-turn ing members may be set to work at a predetermined depthprior to the commencement of the plowing operation and when in operationwill be yieldably supported in order that they may ride over anyobstructions and adjust themselves when depressions or soft spots arereached. Mechanisms having the characteristics herein set forth andwhich, at the .same time, are of most simple and practicableconstruction will now be described.

Each furrow turning member B and E is provided with a vertical standard'60 which is mounted for vertical movement within a suitable guidingframe 61 carried by the frame. Each guiding frame preferably hasfriction-reducing rollers 62 engaging the forward and rear edges of thestandard which passes through the frame. The forward furrow-turningmember B is operated by a lever 63 which is pivoted at 64'to anappropriate part of the frame and is arranged adjacent to the seat 27,the lower end of the lever being connected by a rod 65 with a crank 66projecting from a shaft 67 having a second crank 68 extending rearwardtherefrom (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3), the second crank having itsrear end connected to a link 69 from the upper end of which a laterallyprojecting pin 70 extends into any one of a plurality of apertures 71formed in the standard 60. It will be noted that when the upper end ofthe lever 63 is pulled backward, the furrowturning member B beingassumed to be in .working position, the connecting means between thelever and said member will be moved in a direction which raises the memher to transport position. In order that the member may be adjustedto'working posi-' "tion, when the implement is standing on unplowedland. the crank 66, as shown best in Fig. 5, has its upper endbifurcated and within this bifurcated portion there is disposed ajournaled bearing 72 through which the rod 65 extends loosely. The rodprojects forwardly beyond the bearing and its projecting end isencircled by a spring 73,

one of whose ends preferably abuts against a stop 7% on the rod and theother of whose ends preferably abuts against the forward surface of thebifurcated portion 66 of the crank 66. It will be seen that when theimplement is standing on unplowed land and the lever 63 is thrustforward the rod 65 will be moved through the bearing 72, thereby placingthe spring 73 under tension such that it exerts pressure upon the memberB through the crank 66, shaft 67, crank 68, link 69 and standard 60,which pressure aids the force of gravity in the lowering of the furrowturning member to its working position when the plow enters the land.The movement of the rod 65 rela tively to the crank 66, permitted by theconnection described, enables the lever to be thrust forward to aposition beyond that defined by the engagement of the furrow-turn ingmember with the land and hence the furrow-turning member may be set towork at a predetermined depth while the imple' ment is standing uponunplowed land. A shoulder 65 is provided on the rod to limit movement ofthe arm 66 under influence of the spring and prevent excessive downwardmovement of the member B. The lever is fixed in its predeterminedposition, preferably by a latch 7 5 (Fig. 4) arranged to engage any oneof the teeth of a segment 76, the latch being preferably operated bymeans of a grip 77 connected with the latch by a link 78. The segment 76, instead of being fixed, is pivoted, preferably on the pivot 6 1 ofthe lever 63, and a spring 79 extends from the segment to an appropriatepart of the frame, to which it is secured. In practice, it is preferredto connect the forward end of the spring to a bolt 80 adjustably mountedin a projection 81 fixed upon the frame member 10. this connectionpermitting the tension of the spring 79 to be adjusted. It will thus beseen that when the lever is released by disengaging the latch from thesegment, the lever may be moved relatively to the segment, to adjust theheight of the forward furrowturning member relatively to the frame andthat when the said furrow-turning member has been adjusted to WOI'kiligposition and the lever has been locked to the segment, thefurrow-turning member is under the influence of the spring 79 and isenabled thereby to adjust itself automatically to accord with varyingcon ditions which may be encountered in the operation, such asobstructions, depressions or soft placesthe segment, the lever. and themeans connecting .the lever with said member, moving as a unit.

The adjusting mechanism for the rear furrow-turning member E ispreferably subst antially like that employed for the forward memberexcept that the position of the rear member with relation to itsactuating 65 lever, marked is such that the rod 65 is dispensed with. Inother words, the segment is pivoted and a. spring 84. extends from thesegment to an attaching means 85 carried by an appropriate part of theframe;

the lever has a. latch for looking it in various selected positions tothe segment and its lower end is secured directly to a shaft 86,corresponding to the shaft 67, having a crank 87 with a lateralprojection 88 extending into any one of several apertures pro-, vided inthe standard 60 of the rear member E. This standard is verticallyadjustable through an appropriate guide frame 61 havin rollers 62 arraned to enga e its front and rear edges. While this means connecting therear furrow-turning member with its adjusting lever does not permit asetting of the lever beyond the point defined by the surface of theland, that is to say,

while it does not employ any relatively movable connections between thelever 82 and the crank 86, it should be noted that when the rearfurrow-turning member is set, as it is normally in ordinary plowing, inline with 90 the bottom of the supporting wheel A, the depth of thefurrow made by it is always the same as that made by the front plowingelement and hence there would be no particular advantage in providingmeans, such as are Particular attention is called to the fact that theyieldable mountings for the furrow-turning members not only enable saidmembers to yield to obstructions but further enable them to adjustthemselves automaticallywhen depressions or soft spots are encounteredin such manner that the tractional eifect of the supporting wheel A uponthe soil is not diminished. In plowing with one furrowturning memberahead and the other behind the supporting wheel A, any depression orsoft spot in the land would cause the weight of one side of theimplement to rest on the furrow-turning members and if these memberswere rigidly supported the tractional effect of the wheel A on the landwould be diminished and said wheel would not work properly because ofits failure to get a firm grip on the land under it. This is especiallytrue when the invention is embodied in an implement in which power topropel the implement is applied to the wheel A, for in such case theloss of the tractional effect of the wheel upon the land would stopternal power, as a tractor or animals connected thereto, for instance,but is especially advantageous when the power to'propel the V implementis derived from a motor which i is carried by the implement, and isapplied directly to said wheel;

It will be understood that the land wheel C is an idle wheel and that itis mounted on a crank shaft l00"having the ordinary, or

any suitable means, for adjusting it to ac cord with the depth ofplowing, this wheel running on the unplowed land while the guide wheel,the wheel 'A and the plowing members run in furrows, as hereinbefo-reexplained.

The furrow-turning members, being independently adjustable, one may beset to working position and the other in transport position, if'requiredfor any reasonwhen the soil is too-hard for both to be used, forexample. I c

Having thus described the invention what I believe to be new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is j j 1. In a-plowing implement, thecombina tion of a frame, a supporting wheel and furrow forming membersrespectively arranged forward and rearward of the axis of the supportingwheel, said furrow forming members being connected with the frame andtending to support the same and being yieldable upwardly to' cause thetractional efieet of the wheel upon the land to be maintained,substantially as described.

2. In a plowing implement, the combination of a frame, supporting meanstherefor includinga wheelarr'anged at one side o'f the implement, a plowimmediately in front of the wheel and forming a. furrow for the same totraverse, a second plow set in from the line of the first plow andarranged aft rearward of the axis of the wheel, said plows being of themold'boardtype and tending to support the frame, and means forsupporting the plows to yield when weight is imposed thereon to therebycause the tractional effect of the wheel upon the land to be maintained.

3. In a plowing implement, the combination with a frame, a guiding andsupporting wheel arranged at the front end of the frame to run in afurrow formed in the previous travel of the implement, a second furrowwheel'set in from the line of the guid-;

ing wheel and arranged rearward thereof at one side of theframe, and aland wheel at the other side of the frame, of a furrow forming memberimmediately in advance of the second furrow wheel to form the furrowtherefor, a furrow forming member, arranged rearward of the axis of saidsecond wheel and set in from the line of the first furrow forming memberand forming the furrow in which the first mentioned runs in the nexttravel of the implement, said furrow forming members tending to supportthe frame and being supported to yield upwardly when the frame is tiltedsidewise toward them, to thereby cause the tractional effect ofsaidsecond wheelto be maintained when a soft spot or depression isencountered.

4. In a plowing implement, a frame, means including a furrow wheel forsupporting the same, and a plurality of furrow forming membersrespectively arranged forward and rearward of the axis of said wheel andeach havinga yieldable connection with the frame, substantially asdescribed and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a plowing implement, a frame, a furrow-wheel forming asupport forthe frame, a guiding wheel also arranged to run in a furrow, and aplurality of upwardly yieldable furrow forming members respectivelyarranged fonward and rearward of the axis of the first-mentioned wheel,substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

6. In combination, a furrow forming member and means for holding thesamein different operative positions, said means including an adjustinglever, connections between the lever and the furrow forming member, apivoted element, the lever being movable relatively to the pivotedelement to adjust the furrow forming member, means for locking the leveradjustably to the pivoted element, and a spring arranged to hold thelever, connections and pivoted element under tension which permits thesame to yield.

7 In a plowing implement, a wheelsupported frame, a furrow-formingmember supported by and movable vertically with respect to the frame,and adjusting means 'for the furrow-forming member, arranged to hold thelatter yieldably in the ground, the adjusting means including a pivotedsegment, a lever provided with a latch for looking it adjust-ably to thesegment, an operative connection between the lever and fur row-formingmember, and a spring having connection with the segment and, when thelever is locked to the segment, tending to hold the furrow-formingmember in the ground and enabling the furrow-forming -member,connections, lever and segment to yield.

respect to the frame, and adjusting means for the furrow-forming member,arranged to hold the latter yieldably in the ground, the adjusting meansincluding a rock shaft, a rock arm on the shaft, an operative connectionbetween the rock arm and furrowforming member, a second rock arm on theshaft, a pivoted segment, a lever provided with a latch for looking itadjustablv to the segment,a connecting rod between the lever and secondrock arm, and a spring having connection with the segment and, when thelever is locked to the segment, tending to hold the furrow formingmember, lever and segment yieldably.

9. In a plowing implement, a wheel-supported frame. a furrow-formingmember supported from the frame and adjustable vertically with respectto the frame, adjusting means for the furrow-forming member arranged topermit the member to be set while on unplowed ground, including a lever,and an operative connection between the member and lever, the connectionincluding an arm, a rod slidable through the arm, and means to hold therod and arm yieldably against relative movement.

10. In a plowing implement, a wheel-supported frame. a furrow-formingmember supported from the frame for vertical movement relativethereto,'and means arranged to permit the member to be set while onunplowed ground, including a rock shaft having operative connection withthe member, a rock arm on the shaft, a rod having one end slidablethrough the rock arm and provided with means to limit movement in onedirection,yieldable means on the rod to permit resisted sliding movementin the other direction, and means to move the rod and thereby operatethe rock shaft.

11. In a plowing implement, a wheel supported frame, a furrow-formingmember supported from the frame and adjustable vertically with respectto the frame, ad-

justing means for the furrow-forming member, comprising a rock shafthaving operative connection with the member, a rock arm on the shaft,having a fork at its end, a bearing trunnioned in the fork, a rod menaceslidable through the bearing and a spring mounted on the rod and havingone end resting against the bearing.

12. In a plowing implement, the combination of a frame, supporting meanstherefor including a furrow wheel at one side of the implement, aplurality of furrow forming members respectively arranged forward andrearward of the aXis of said wheel, said members tending to support theframe, and means for setting them respectively in different operativepositions and holding them yieldably in their different selectedpositions while they are at work, for the purposes set forth. e

13. In a plowing implement, the combination of a frame, supporting meanstherefor including a furrow wheel at one side of the implement, aplurality of furrow forming members respectively arranged forward andrearward of the aXis of said wheel, and an adjusting and supportingmeans between each furrow forming member and the frame, each of saidmeans including a pivoted adjusting lever having connection with the 780corresponding furrow forming member, a spring, a pivotally mountedconnection between the spring and the lever, and elements for lockingthe lever to said connection for unitary movement under the influence ofthe spring, said elements being releasable, from each other to permitthe lever to be moved relatively to the pivotal connection to effectadjustment of the furrow forming, member.

l-l. In a plowing implement, the combination of a frame, supportingmeans therefor including a furrow wheel at one side of the implement, aplurality of furrow forming members respectively arranged forward andrearward of the axis of Said wheel, and an adjusting and supportingmeans between each furrow forming member and the frame, each of saidmeans including an adjusting lever, means connecting the lever with thecorresponding furrow forming member, a toothed segment, a latch forlocking the lever releasably to the segment, said segment and leverbeing pivotally connected to the frame, and a spring having one endconnected with the segment and its other end connected with the frame.

in testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES T. RAY.

topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. f3,

